


Fight Together

by mouseinthemidnight



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Reader-Insert, Reader-Interactive
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-18
Updated: 2018-07-18
Packaged: 2019-06-12 13:08:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,115
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15340524
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mouseinthemidnight/pseuds/mouseinthemidnight
Summary: Although you'd certainly been through worse, being kidnapped by wolf-demons was something you hadn't been anticipating... nor was developing sympathy for them, especially their confused young new leader.





	Fight Together

You had been in that cave so long you could no longer smell the scent of damp, musty cave, nor did the rumbles or growls of the wolves bother you. It must have been a week, you thought, since you had been captured and imprisoned in the den of the wolf-demon tribe.

 

It had not been so long, however, that the memory was not still fresh within your mind. Your lungs had nearly exploded as you willed your weakening leg muscles to hold out just another minute longer. Twigs and leaves snapped and crunched beneath your bare feet as you stumbled through the tall grass, desperate to get as far away from the village as possible. If you had waited until morning, you would have been forced to wed the disgusting monster that was the village leader.

 

You had finally collapsed in a small clearing in thick forest, your thighs and chest burning with exhaustion. It wasn’t likely you would last long out here. You had spent long years of your life trapped inside a house with the scheming family that had begrudgingly taken you in when demons had slaughtered your own. They had barely let you leave the house, let alone tell you what was beyond village borders. But you didn’t care. You would rather have died alone in the wilderness than let those people marry you off and control you like a puppet.

 

That had been the moment that a glow emanated from the dirt a few feet in front of you and caught your attention. Though your vision swam, you managed to reach just enough to take the source of the glow within your trembling fingers. It was a fragment of a luminescent gem. You had never seen anything like it, nor had you ever felt the aura of power that it emitted.

 

You scarcely had the chance to sit up and examine the mysterious jewel shard further when you had felt strong gusts of wind drawing nearer. A tornado of some sort approached you, and out from it leapt a man with raven hair tied back in a long ponytail and clear blue eyes that focused intently on you. Your vision began to clear immediately as the adrenaline pulsed through your veins once more. The armor that plated his chest and the brown fur pelt that hung around his waist and over his toned legs alarmed you. You held your breath, expecting him to draw the sword that decorated his side.

 

He had not attacked you; had barely spoken a word to you. Here your memory blurred slightly, but you recalled being swept into the stranger’s powerful arms and carried off at incredible speed. Shortly thereafter, you had found yourself moving behind the cascades of a waterfall and into a dark cave filled with hungry wolves and savage men dressed similar to your kidnapper. The jewel shard you had found had been torn ruthlessly from your grasp and quickly planted into Koga’s right arm.

 

Koga. You had learned his name not long after being imprisoned within the cave. Every one of the savage men in fur and armor spoke his name with a deep respect-- many of them, at times, with desperation, as they begged the leader of their pack for the chance to have you as dinner. One look around at all the bones in the cave that were riddled with tooth marks was enough to indicate that such was not an uncommon practise among the demons. Despite this, Koga had declared you off-limits, threatening to kill anyone who laid a claw on you.

 

You weren’t allowed to move around the cave, let alone go outside it. You longed for the ability to see sunlight again, but guessed that you should have been grateful to have made it away from that village and to still be alive. All you were able to do for now was to watch, as Koga and his pack stepped out into the outer world for patrols around their territory. They would often return with an arm or two full with fresh kill, which typically included fish from the river or small animals from the forest. Koga had once proudly strutted into the cave, his sleek hair glistening from the waterfall, with an entire boar slung over his shoulder. You occasionally found your eyes drawn to the subtle flexing of the muscles in his legs, as Koga knelt and divided the boar into even shares, which he then passed on to appreciative packmates who all agreed that he was the greatest leader they had ever known.

 

There was an air of affinity here, the likes of which you had never witnessed. During the day, wolves would gather together into separate patrols, each taking care of specific needs of the pack-- some would hunt, others would sentry the borders for intruders, and the rest would guard the cave. When night stretched over the wilderness, bringing bleak and bitter chill along with it, the wolves would all curl up together in a huddled mass of brown pelts, keeping one another warm. They were brutish, animalistic, and wild, but the wolf-demons cherished their packmates. It seemed to be an unspoken rule that a member of the pack was family, no matter who they were born to or what land they came from. It made you feel in such a way that you could not understand.

 

When you looked at these wolves… when you looked at Koga… you felt longing. Perhaps it was only jealousy. You couldn’t remember what it was like to be a part of a family that cherished and respected you. Part of you hoped that you could become a part of this... part of you longed to lie among the pack and feel the warmth of affection. But the other part of you knew this could not be. You were human, and they were demons. One day they would devour you, just as your family had been devoured years past. Bitterly, you would curl up in your own desolate corner of the cave and shiver, just wishing they would do it already.

 

A morning came when the atmosphere had changed. The cave had grown mostly empty. There was a silence unlike before. The air was permeated no longer with affinity… but with resigned mourning.

 

Spooked, you glanced around and pondered the void that loomed over the den, before realizing there was an opportunity to escape. You stood to your feet and sent a glance to the small cluster of wolves lying over to the side. Their ears pricked up, hearing your movements, but they did not stir. It was like they had no energy even to send you a warning stare. Something was wrong, and that was certain to you. You tried not to let your concern delay your movements as you headed softly for the mouth of the cave.

 

You had taken roughly five steps outside the cave when shuffling heavy footsteps halted you in your tracks. You dodged behind a pile of rocks, pausing for a moment, and then stole a nervous peer around them. It had been what felt like ages since you’d seen anything but shadows against stone walls, and it took your eyes several moments to adjust to the brightness of the sun. Koga was leading a long line of wolves and wolf-demons up the side of the mountain. Ordinarly, it would have been safe to assume that they had just been on a hunting patrol at this time of day… but heads were not lifted proudly, and the burdens being carried were not fresh meat from the forest.

 

Your common sense gnawed at your mind, reminding you that if any of them saw you, you would never get away. Koga had long boasted of his ability to run at incredible speeds, which you had seen for yourself. It was the jewel shard he had stolen from you, combined with two that he had hitherto possessed, that bestowed him with such power. Yet, your instinct to flee captivity was immediately washed away by blood running cold in your vessels. A vicious gash was raking down the length of Koga’s arm, oozing blood and dripping into the grass as he ascended the slope.

 

His pack trailed mournfully behind him, each carrying the burden of dozens of lifeless bodies. Wolves and wolf-demons all bore wounds similar to Koga’s, pelts stained with blood-- that of their fallen comrades mixed with their own. Some of them fixed expressionless stares at the bodies hanging from their grip. Others kept heads bowed and fought the tears that slid down their cheeks and into the fur of their loved ones. Koga’s head was lifted, showing the tribe leader’s determination to be valiant in this time of loss. Still, the trembling of his lips and the shimmering in his clear blue eyes gave away the confusion and anguish of a young man who never asked for so much responsibility.

 

“Koga.” His name escaped your lips in a soft breath, for the first time since you had encountered him. Your heart pounded as you realized your feet were moving you swiftly towards him.

 

Not one of the pack seemed to notice you. Their long journey came to an end at the river bank, whereupon each of them laid bodies, one by one, bringing their loved ones to a rest in the homeland. Once every body had been rested by the waters of the river, every wolf knelt. Some of them hid their face behind clawed fingers, shoulders trembling in effort to control emotion. The rest remained motionless and kept empty eyes on former comrades. Moments of distraught silence dragged onward, with nothing but the steady rushing of the waterfall to be heard.

 

A long, mournful howl split the air. In the midst of the kneeling wolf-demons, Koga raised his gaze to the sky and shut his eyes tight, letting the howl continue on until it left him breathless. Then he took another breath and howled again. The pack soon joined in, slowly, one after another, all howling, to the stars hidden in the daytime sky and to the heavens where the loved ones had gone on to be with their ancestors.

 

It must have been hours that went on like that. You couldn’t have known. Your heartbeat pulsed slowly with the grief that wracked this pack… the pack that you had come to care so much for during this short time.

 

Most demons finally rose, heavyheartedly, to take the bodies of their comrades away to be buried. Koga remained by the riverside, seated silently in the grass. Finally, you dared to step forward to his side.

 

“You… you’re hurt.”

 

He lifted his gaze from the water to focus on you. There was none of the bravado or ferocity that typically burned in his icy blue eyes. You expected him to at least flash his fangs at you. “What are you doing out of the cave, girl?” His usual fierce growl was low and lethargic. “Get back in there.”

 

“I’m…’ Your voice cracked, but you willed yourself not to step back and show the fear that you felt. “You’re bleeding. Badly. You’ve got to take care of that. Let me…” You slowly sank to your knees and reached for his wounded arm.

 

The pack leader released a soft, guttural growl. “Leave me alone.”

 

“I… I know how to tend to wounds…” You faltered, despite doing your best to sound insistent. “I’ve… treated many of my own.”

 

Koga turned his gaze away from you, again focusing on the reflection of himself in the slowly churning river. His tail swished slightly in annoyance, but only for a moment, soon losing its strength. You could have sworn you caught a glimpse of tears gathering in the corner of his eyes. But you didn’t remark on it and just reached for his arm again.

 

“Not me.” He spoke suddenly. “Not me first. Take care of my pack first.”

 

You sent him a questioning stare, but he kept his gaze on the water and said nothing more. The last thing you wanted was to upset him any further, so you moved quickly to do as he asked. You went about gathering things from the brush that surrounded the mountain, making do with what you could find, and used it to tend to the rest of Koga’s pack. They didn’t argue with you, to your surprise, and let you do so with quiet gratitude. Some of the wolves even nuzzled your hands as they dealt tender care, seeking comfort.

 

At last you came back to Koga, after all the other demons had either taken the bodies of their comrades away to be buried or retreated to the den to rest. He hadn’t budged an inch from his place on the bank, but you noticed he was gently rubbing the wounded arm in his thoughts. You swooped in immediately and took his arm gently, cleaning it with water from the river. When it was clean to your satisfaction, you tore a strip of cloth from the bottom of your kimono to wrap snugly around his arm and prevent further bleeding. Then, you sat by his side and watched him transfer his stare from his reflection to the fabric tied around the injury. You waited several long moments before at last daring to prompt him for an explanation.

 

“What… happened?” Your eyes lifted from his arm to scan his face. It was tanned with what had been hours upon hours under the open sun.

 

“... Birds of Paradise.” He finally murmured.

 

“What?”

 

“The Birds of Paradise are what happened!”

 

He spat the response this time. You couldn’t help but jump at the abruptness. His fangs were definitely flashing now.

 

“We were patrolling the borders… when those… those… they swooped out of nowhere and attacked us. So many of our clan were carried away to their nests… and… devoured. We… had to retreat… because… if we had stayed… even more of my comrades would have been slaughtered.”

 

Koga’s entire body, though built and solid, was trembling like a solitary leaf in the mighty wind. His fists were clenched, long claws digging into the skin of his palms. You were sure it was nothing in comparison to the wrenching pain of losing those he cherished. You felt it, too.

 

“It… wasn’t your fault--” You began, but the wolf interupted you with another spit.

 

“I thought I could fight them. I have the Shikon jewel shards in my legs and my arm! I was positive they were no match for me. But… their leader… had a jewel shard of his own. I should have known better than to be so cocky and confident in my own abilities.” Koga bowed his head. His bangs fell over his eyes, the rest of his long raven hair falling over his shaking shoulders. “I was willing to risk the lives of my friends and my family. And they all paid dearly for my mistake.” He reached down and slapped at his reflection in the river water, with his injured right arm. He winced in pain at the movement, but seemed not to be regretful, as if he had intended to punish himself by moving the arm. “The Birds of Paradise ripped the shard from my arm. Now they have two shards… and it’s all because of me. I’ve sealed my tribe’s doom.”

 

“Koga… you haven’t…” Again you opened your mouth to speak words of comfort to him, but he would not heed you. You could tell simply by the way he hunched his shoulders and gripped his kneecaps as he sat. He was doing his best to bear the pain and take it in stride, but it was as if it were physically weighing him down. Words would do nothing to ease the grief that tormented the young leader.

 

You sat there at a loss. A thought fleeted through your mind that it was best you just leave now. But you couldn’t bring yourself to your feet. Even if these wolves had kept you prisoner, they had treated you with more respect than anyone in your life ever had. Watching them live together, play together, fight together, and grieve together… had brought you close to them. You couldn’t abandon them now, especially not Koga. The pack’s trust and appreciation for him was well-placed. He was rough and ruthless, but he was loyal to his people and did everything in his power to protect them.

 

Slowly, you leaned over and laid your head against Koga’s shoulder. This was what the wolves would have done, you thought. Wolves couldn’t express themselves with words, and yet words couldn’t have expressed the deep feelings that wolves kept for one another. Just the simple action of being there would provide comfort, like the mass of huddled brown pelts you had watched in the night.

 

And so it did. Koga’s shoulders slowly, slowly relaxed. No tears escaped his bronzed face, but his shoulders now shook fully and freely. He was at last releasing all the emotion that had held him prisoner. It lasted only a few moments.

 

Finally, Koga lifted his head, along with the rest of his body, which now moved without the restraint of sorrow. He looked over at you, expressionlessly. You sheepishly removed your head from his shoulder, but didn’t scoot away from him.

 

“I promise… we’ll make things right.” You offered. You were shocked by the authority in your voice. But you couldn’t stop now. You felt it had been destiny all along for you to end up here with the tribe. “We’ll avenge your comrades and defeat the Birds of Paradise.”

 

“We?” Koga echoed, but his eyebrow did not lift. He seemed more surprised than unamused.

 

“I… mean… I want to help. I don’t want to see any more wolves taken.” You faltered again, but you didn’t want your feelings to be stepped on any longer. You had spent your life letting other people speak over you and make decisions for you. The love you were beginning to feel for the wolf-demon tribe renewed you with a confidence you hadn’t felt since your days as a child. “I will fight with you.”

 

Koga stared a few moments longer. This time, both his eyebrows lifted. “Well… you have more backbone than I expected you to have. …For a human girl, anyway.”

 

Something in those storms of blue eyes was softening as he scanned your innocent, honest face.

 

“Thank you.”

 

He then leaned over and laid his shoulder against your shoulder. Your fingers hesitated, but found their way running through the length of his raven ponytail.

 

“We will fight together.”


End file.
